This invention relates to an apparatus for storing currency notes or other valuable articles, and which apparatus (hereinafter called cassette) may be used for transporting currency notes or other valuables from a bank to an automatic cash dispensing machine.
This invention has application, for example, to an automatic cash dispensing machine or financial terminal of the kind wherein a user inserts a customer identifying card into the machine and then enters certain data (such as codes, quantity of currency required or to be paid in, type of transaction, etc.) upon a keyboard associated with the machine. The machine will then process the transaction, update the user's account to reflect the current transaction, dispense cash if necessary, and return the card to the user as part of a routine operation. A cassette in accordance with the invention may be used to transport currency notes from a bank to a location, remote from the bank, at which location a cash dispensing machine or financial terminal is situated.
Both secure and non-secure cassettes are known for use with cash dispensing machines or financial terminals. Non-secure cassettes are not lockable, and the contents of such cassettes are readily accessible during transport. In contrast, in known secure cassettes, the contents of such cassettes are not readily accessible to an unauthorized person during transport; however, these cassettes are relatively complex, and may require a power input for the purpose of operating a currency access enabling and disabling mechanism.